


Home

by Cinnamohm_roll



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: M/M, ohmtoonz, there are other relationships in this but they're briefly mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 12:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18261023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamohm_roll/pseuds/Cinnamohm_roll
Summary: Everybody are wolf hybrids, basically people with wolf attributes.Ohm was rejected by his family and by every other pack he's come across as his attributes make him look more like a dog than a wolf, but will he ever find somewhere to call home.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Basically moving all my stuff from Tumblr (cinnamohm-roll) to here, feel free to send me prompts there if you'd like.

[Ohm POV]

A freak was only one of the many colorful word's others had used to describe him during his lifetime. A mistake is what his parents had called him, from far away he had the characteristics of a wolf just like everyone else, but when you got closer you could notice the differences.

How his eyes were just a bit too soft and his ears too floppy. How his teeth weren't quite as sharp and his claws too small. It was a mystery as to why he was born more like a dog, which others had taken to calling him, as opposed to a wolf, but it wasn't like anyone cared enough to investigate a reason why.

It was for this reason why he didn't have a pack, why he never really had one to begin with. When he reached his teenage years, when the wolf features should start to become more pronounced, he had remained somewhat stunted as the doctor called it. His parents had only kept him out of a sense of duty and in the hopes that he'd get some sort of final growth spurt when he got older, which never came. He was 15, a few days before his birthday and when he was to come of age, normally a big ceremony where you're formally added as a member of the pack and given pack duties and responsibilities. However, instead of helping him get a formal outfit for the event, his parents had kicked him out with nothing but the clothes on his back. 

That evening, without any explanation, his parents had practically tossed him out the house, calling him a disgrace on the family and that if he ever returned he'd be killed on site, that if he wasn't careful they'd be the ones to do it. He noticed some of their neighbors come out of their houses to witness the scene, one or two of them adding their own obscenities as he stood in the road helpless, tears streaming down his face. His begs and pleas fell on deaf ears, even when his parents finally returned to the house and locked the door behind them he stayed calling out to them, begging them to let him stay. He doesn't know how long he stood there before a police officer dragged him away from the front door and shoved him into the backseat of his car. Without a word the cop drove him to the pack's territory limit and all but chucked him out the car, giving a final warning not to bother returning before he got back in the car and drove off.

For the next few days he wandered through the wilderness trying to lay low as much as possible, but apart from instinct, he lacked any other form of survival skills, meaning It wasn't long before he came across another pack. He doesn't know why they took him in, probably because they felt some sort of pity for him, he was an underdeveloped wolf, after all, something that hadn't been heard of in all the books he'd browsed through when he'd learned of his condition. Not to mention that he must have looked like a right state, ripped clothes, covered in dirt and looking like he was at death's door.

They were quick to take him in, giving him food, drink and clean clothes, even gave him a couple of small errands to run as a way to prove his worth to them. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged, like he finally had a pack, at least that was until they found out how old he was when they learned that he was actually two days from turning 16. Just as his parents had done, they'd literally tossed him out, telling him to be thankful that they hadn't killed him, as they left him to fend for himself in the cold dark night.

For the next two years, his youthful appearance meant that other packs he came across would take him in for a while, accepting their hospitality before running away so that they could never find the truth about him. When he got too old to pass as an underage wolf he made a real effort to avoid coming across packs, teaching himself how to hunt and to find and build shelter, and most importantly the ability to evade pursuers. However, sometimes nature wasn't on his side. There'd be no sign of food for weeks and fresh water was hard to come by, especially in winter when a lot of natural water would freeze over. It was at times like this he would seek others, willing to suffer their treatment of him in favor of some semblance of food and warmth.

He remembers one particular pack which had found him, they'd reinforced his dog-like appearance by putting a collar and tag on him and making him sleep in a far too small kennel at night. They only allowed him to leave said kennel if he had a lead attached to him, forcibly dragging him on all fours through the street whilst the other wolves came out to throw their own insults. At dinner, he'd been forced to stay under the table, only able to eat whatever scraps they threw down to him whilst they kicked at him as he crossed the length of the table. 

He doesn't remember how long he'd been with him, only knowing that when they'd started to run out of food and he was nothing more than another mouth to feed, was when they had chucked him out, tying him to a tree outside their territory by the lead they'd made him wear.  
He'd made short work of ripping off the collar, quickly slinking his way back into the safety of the forest, waiting until the cruel cycle would start again.

**********

It had been 20 years since his parents had first kicked him out, he'd spent most of those years in solitary, becoming more of a wild animal than a person. He wouldn't lie that it had its advantages though. The problem with the wolves was that for the most part, they'd lost touch with their wolf side, they still had some enhanced senses and abilities, preferred to be in packs and still had lifelong mates, but they'd changed as technology advanced. Their senses dulling, and reflexes slowed, as cars were developed they no longer saw the need to run through the forest, with the use of guns they no longer had to physically hunt down their own prey. All attributes he'd nurtured over the long years on his own.

It had been a few days since he'd eaten, the cold weather meaning there was a lack of food and that he was only able to catch the odd rabbit to help sustain him when he was found by an alpha.

"Watcha doin' out here all alone pup?" A smooth southern drawl came from the tall alpha who slowly started to approach him. He was quick to bare his teeth and growl at the intruder, it was only meant as a warning, he was sure the rest of his pack would be nearby and there was no way he'd be able to fight them all.

"Easy there I don' mean no harm. Forgive me, but it looks like you haven't eaten for a while and a lot of snow's comin' in within the week, d'you wanna come back with me? Just until the storm passes? I don't know if I can stomach the thought of knowing you're out here all alone" The alpha put on a small smile and a second later he could smell his scent flood the clearing they were in. Try as he might to run away, the alphas gaze pinned him in place, he couldn't explain why but the scent of the alpha comforted him, it reminded him of home baked cookies, soft leather, and coffee.

The alpha noticing this crossed the rest of the distance separating them, stopping just in front of him to hold out his hand. "M'names' Luke by the way"  
Hesitantly he took the hand presented to him, ignoring the jolt that ran through his body at the contact and the warmth that seemed to spread through his body because of it.  
"Ryan" he mumbled but it didn't knock the smile off of the alpha's face.

"Follow me, just let me know if you can't keep up" With one last dazzling smile he took off into the forest. He watched the alpha weave easily through the trees and a small smile graced his face before he followed after him. He easily caught up and kept pace, but after about 10 minutes he noticed the alpha slow down a little, how sweat covered his brow and how he seemed a little out of breath. Although he could've kept at the same pace he didn't want to slight the alpha so slowed his pace as well, keeping close to him as they carried on jogging through the forest.

It was another 20 minutes before the alpha slowed to a walk, he gave a final look back to him before walking into the camp. He stood on the outskirts shocked, most packs lived in small towns, with roads passing through them and brick houses powered with electrical lines through each town, but this pack was very much different.

They lived in raised log cabins with nothing but worn forest floor showing frequented pathways in and out of the camp. Furthermore, there was nothing but what looked like a small generator powering the camp but even then it didn't look like it was in use, the camp being lit up by a huge log fire in the center.

He didn't realize he was staring until the alpha came back and put a hand on his shoulder, he jumped back from the touch, baring his teeth a little. He ignored the slight flinch of pain that crossed the alphas features, didn't have time to question the reason why before he noticed growls coming from behind Luke, looking over the alphas' shoulder to see two other wolves baring their teeth at him.

Before he could retaliate Luke turned towards them, "Jon, Brian lay down. He's just a little spooked is all." With one final growl, they took a couple of steps back, giving them space, and getting themselves out of their defensive positions, which did little to put him at ease. Against his will, he felt himself relax, slightly unsure as to why until a moment later when he realized that the scent of the alpha had surrounded him again. 

"C'mon Ryan, let me show you around. Don' worry 'bout them, they're just not used to new faces." The alpha slowly reached his hand out towards him, giving him plenty of time to turn away, before putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving him another small smile before gently starting to guide him through the camp.

For the next 10 minutes the alpha showed him around, the fire pit they used for warmth and to cook food with, as well as a small shed dedicated solely to the stockpile of logs he's sure they prepared for the oncoming snow. He was introduced to the other wolves in the camp, most of them barely sparing him a nod but he could feel their eyes sending daggers into his back. There were a few who came up to him to say their hellos, even going so far as to shake his hand, Brock if he remembers his name correctly, Craig and Anthony had all been welcoming towards him.

Overall, there were eight huts, one which was the alphas, the biggest one which looked like it could comfortably fit the whole pack if needed. The others were a lot smaller, he was told that there were several mated pairs within the pack and each pair had built their own cabin as a sign of their commitment to each other. There was a reasonably sized hut which was near the center of the camp built for storage, it's where any and all supplies were kept and only a few wolves had access to it. 

The final cabin was just a bit smaller than the alphas, made for those who remained unmated, however at the moment the only resident was Anthony, there were supposedly two other wolves, but they came and went as they pleased between their pack and another. This would be where he would stay and where Luke dropped him off, telling him that dinner would be ready in a couple of hours and that he'll get fresh clothes brought to him.

He thanked the alpha, bowing before him, which caused a strange look to pass over the alpha's face before he bid his farewells, leaving him to his own devices. He entered the cabin, looking briefly around the dimly lit living room before making his way to the rooms, choosing the one closest to the door which he couldn't scent another wolf in.

It was a basic room, a double bed with a set of drawers and a basin, with some essentials like soap already supplied, on the drawers, there was a small gas lamp which could be used to light the bare room. He sat on the bed, examining his surroundings and wondering how long this would last, without a doubt this had been the best he'd been treated since he'd been kicked out all those years ago.

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until he heard a knock on his door, quickly jumping up and getting into a defensive pose, teeth bared, but all that greeted him was Brock jumping back slightly from the doorway. He couldn't explain it, he had barely been here an hour, but he felt guilty for scaring the wolf, who timidly made his way into the room.  
He backed down, mumbling an apology and giving what he hoped was a smile before sitting himself back down on the bed. He saw Brock cast a warm smile towards him, moving to sit next to him on the bed before placing a small pile of clothes in the gap between them.

"I've got these for you, they're probably a bit too big but it's all we have, sorry. On our next supply run, we'll try and find some stuff better suited for you"

He placed his hand on the clothes, feeling the material between his fingers, how soft it was, he couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten new clothes. He felt tears burn his eyes as he said his thanks, unable to look the wolf in the eyes, not wanting to slight him in any way.

"I'm gonna go turn the generator on for a bit so you can have some hot water and clean up. You've probably got half an hour before we gather for dinner, just let me know if you need anything, I'll be in cabin 3 if you need me" With a final smile the wolf left the room and he let out the breath he'd been holding, looking at the clothes he'd been given. Whilst a bit too big they'd still fit him just fine and it wasn't as if he was going to complain about the hospitality they'd shown him. 

It was a minute later when he heard a gentle hum through the wall, getting up he moved to the basin and turned on the tap, waiting a moment for it to heat up before grabbing the hand towel nearby, wetting it slightly before wrapping the bar of soap in it. Holding the hand towel closed around the soap he rubbed it against his hand until a soapy lather started to form, stripping himself of his scant clothes to begin the slow process of cleaning himself, taking the time to remove every bit of dirt and grime he could find. The last step involved removing the soap from the now black hand towel and rubbing it through his hair to act as shampoo before holding his head under the tap. Once clean he grabbed the towel on the rail and rubbed his hair a little in an effort to dry it before drying the rest of his body and donning the first clothes he grabbed hold of.

He looked out of his window and noticed how much darker it looked, barely making out the darker shapes of the pack as they started to make their way to the fire. A small part of him wanted to join them, wanted to belong, but a larger part wanted to hide out in his room, to curl up under the bed and simply wait out his time here.

Just as he was starting to settle himself on the bed and wrap himself within the duvet he heard a knock on the front door. He didn't move, hoping that if he didn't answer that they'd leave.

"Ryan? Food's ready" He heard Lukes' voice through the door and as he got up to go to the door he told himself how if it had been anyone else he wouldn't be answering the call. Opening the door, he saw Luke beam a smile down at him and couldn't stop his own smile in return to the alpha.

"I see you got your clothes, they don't seem too bad, but we'll try and find something better fitting for you"

"Thank you, Alpha" He kept his head down as he spoke, bowing slightly again before Luke stopped him.

"Please, call me Luke, I don't like all that formal shit, and you don't need to bow to anyone here, we're all equals no matter the status" The alpha smiled back at him, speechless he could do nothing but nod.

"Luke if you don't get your ass here I'm eating your share" A shout resounded through the night, breaking the moment between them before the alpha returned his own shout, making his way down the stairs and towards the fire.

"Don't you fucking think about it bitch or I'll chuck you in the river" He heard the alpha chuckle at the answering yelp he'd heard from the fire, the sound causing his heart rate to pick up ever so slightly as he made slowly made his way towards the fire.

By the time he reached it almost everyone was sitting on the large logs encircling the fire, talking amicably with one another, bar Anthony and Brock who appeared to be serving and distributing the food to the others. At this moment he felt nothing but an imposter, that he had no reason to belong with these people, and instead choose to sit on the floor behind the logs in the hope to hide until he could slip back to his bed.

It made little difference, however, for Brock made his way straight towards him with a bowl of food and some cutlery, everyone turning to see him hiding away and upon Brocks insistence, he was moved to sit between Brock and Anthony. He kept his head down on his food, waiting to hear the others start their food before eating, unsure of the pack's customs and so as not to insult them. 

"As all of you know we have a new addition, this is Ryan, he's gonna be staying with us for a while, at least until the storm passes, so I want you all to make him feel welcome" Without looking he could tell that the last part was directed at someone, however, he wasn't sure who, instead choosing to start eating when in the corner of his eye he saw Brock raise his fork to his mouth.

He tried to be as civil as he could, but it had been several days since he'd eaten and after the first two bites, he couldn't stop shoveling the food into his mouth. It was only when half his plate was cleared and his mouth full that he looked around at the others, he noticed a couple of distasteful looks aimed his way and that's when he saw their plates. The pack had barely half of what he had, and he couldn't stop the crushing feeling of guilt and shame, he quickly put his fork down and put the plate down on the floor, ignoring the looks he could feel coming from the two wolves beside him.

"I know I'm not a chef but the food ain't that bad is it?" He heard Anthony whisper to him and once again that crushing feeling came back.  
"No, it's great, thank you" He bowed his head slightly towards the younger man, ignoring the questioning look the man threw at him in favor of looking at his hands.  
"If it's so good why aren't you eating it then?"

He sighed, finding the situation inescapable. "I've got twice the food of anyone here and that isn't fair, I know food is scarce at the minute. I'd rather this goes to someone who needs it." He nodded as if trying to reaffirm his own statement to himself.

"Ryan, the only person here who needs that food is you. We eat almost every day no matter how small, when was the last time you ate?"

His silence spoke volumes and in an answer to that Anthony picked his plate up off the floor and returned it to his hands. "Eat, please. Don't worry 'bout the others, they're just a bunch of little bitches when the attention isn't on them anymore"

Beside him he saw Brock stamp his foot onto the wolf the other side of him "The fock was that for?" was shouted which was only followed with laughter around the camp.  
"You know what" Brock laughed, and he couldn't stop the small smile that formed on his face, picking up his fork to start eating again. He was quick to extinguish the flicker of hope that ignited in his chest that maybe he could belong with these people.

**********

He'd been staying with the pack for 9 days now and tensions were high, he could tell that most of them didn't want him there, but Luke refused to compromise, insisting he stayed until the snow storm passed. It didn't help that none of them had eaten for a couple of days, after that first night he'd been given portions similar to the rest of the pack however, they'd officially run out of food. Luke, Tyler, Brian, Jon, and Marcel had all gone out with their guns over the last 4 days in an effort to hunt some food for them to eat, apart from a couple of rabbits Marcel had caught they'd had no luck.

He was laying under Lukes' cabin, a common occurrence, choosing to spend most nights here as although it was a lot colder than his own bed, being near the alpha comforted him a lot more than he'd like to admit, only able to sleep here in the biting cold as opposed to his bed. However, he was stirred awake by the sound of raised voices above him.

"He can't stay here Luke, you know that as well as me" He heard Jons' voice through the floor, although not blood he'd learned that the younger wolf was as good as a brother to Luke, and in some cases could be the only one to talk sense into the alpha.

"I can't kick him out, you've seen him he wouldn't last two minutes. Knowing he's out there in this weather doesn't sit right with me and you're lying to yourself if you say it doesn't bother you too"

"We've turned away plenty of wolves before in worse weather, actual wolves who could benefit us, but you turn them away every time, and yet you bring in this dog -"

"Don't call him that! He's a wolf just like any of us" Lukes outburst surprised him, he didn't expect such an outspoken response in his defense, he could almost feel Lukes anger at Jons' words.

"You keep telling yourself that then, but he's nothing more than a lap dog and you know it if you're not careful you're gonna lose the pack"

"Is that a threat?" There was a tense pause and he could sense the standoff between the two wolves above him. "I thought you'd be the last person to threaten me, Jonathan, after everything we've been through, everything I've done for you"

"It's a warning, there's talk around the camp that you're no longer fit to lead, hell I've heard Tyler's' thinkin' about challenging you for pack alpha." He heard Jon give a defeated sigh before he spoke again, almost a whisper "I love you Luke, but you need to do what's best for the pack. Why are you so set on him staying here?"

"It's complicated" he could almost feel the emotions thick in his throat he's sure Luke's trying to choke down and it's then that he decides he can't listen anymore.

Tears he didn't realize he was shedding were burning down his cheeks, leaving a sharp sting as the cold wind whipped at his face as he left his shelter under Lukes' cabin. They thought he was useless, nothing more than a burden, but maybe if he proved himself, showed them he could be of use then they'd let him stay.

He ran out of the camp, easily maneuvering through the trees as he headed towards the direction of the river, following it downstream, and reveling in the feeling of the cold air burn through his lungs until he found what he was looking for. 

A large herd of deer were grazing near the river, as quietly as he could he washed himself in the water in an effort to hide his scent before heading downwind from them. He climbed a nearby tree, carefully moving along the low branches of the closely packed trees until he was almost sitting over the herd, lying in wait to make his move.

It wasn't long before the herd slowly made their way toward to him, unaware of the danger lurking above, he let some of the smaller deer pass by, waiting for his prize. A large deer, almost twice the weight of him was grazing on the remaining foliage under him, and without a thought he dropped down, landing on top of the deer before bringing his claws down on its throat and snapping its neck for good measure before jumping off of it. 

The deer having been made aware of the danger started to run off in an effort to escape him, he left the large deer as he ran after the herd, expending all his energy until he eventually caught up to them. He leaped onto the closest one, it was sick and slower than the rest, clearly used as a sacrifice to let the other deer escape but he didn't care, food was food. 

He made quick work of killing the deer before dragging it to the one he'd killed earlier, he allowed himself to catch his breath, happy with what he'd caught and hoping Luke would be proud of his hunt. The two deer should be able to feed the pack for at least a couple of weeks and would hopefully show them that he had some worth, that although he looked like a dog he could be just as much of a wolf as any of them.

He tore up his shirt, using it to tie the hooves of the deer together and making a small handle he could use to pull them with, however, he was now only left in a thin t-shirt, although somewhat durable in the cold he wasn't immune, and the counter had started as to how long he could survive.

With a final breath he started pulling the deer the way he'd come, he didn't make it far before a sweat started to form, and his muscles ache. He kept pulling, having no idea where he was in relation to the camp, it was only when night started to descend, and his muscles ache so badly that he could barely take another step that he collapsed. He let out a howl, it was nowhere near as powerful as a wolf's, nor did it hold the power and menace that a wolf's did, he just hoped someone heard it.

He let out another weaker howl before standing back up and trying his hardest to pull the deer further through the wilderness. It was a few minutes later that he heard several sets of footsteps racing towards him and he panicked, not knowing if they were friend or foe, he was in no state to fight, until he heard a familiar heartbeat leading the small following, the same heartbeat he fell asleep to, Luke had come for him.

"Ryan what the fuck are you doing out here" Luke shouted towards him as the alpha ran at him, barely catching him before he face planted the forest floor.

"Got some food" he smiled up at the alpha, noticing the alpha look past him at the two deer, a myriad of emotions cross his face before facing him again, giving him a small smile.

"You did good Ryan; can you stand for a minute?"

He nodded, putting all of his energy into holding himself up as Luke let him go, trying not to pay attention to how much he missed his warmth. Luke then took off his jacket and wrapped it around him, too tired to stop himself he wrapped himself in the jacket and buried his head in it, taking a deep breath of the scent that accompanied the warm coat. Before he could take a step Luke picked him up bridal style before turning back to the other wolves that had joined him.

"Tyler, Brian grab the deer and get it back to Anthony." Without a word they did as he said, and they started to make their way back to the camp. He's on the verge of sleep, letting everything about Luke lull him into a slumber he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. He nosed his way into Lukes' neck, too far gone to notice how Lukes heartrate spiked at the motion or the alpha tug him ever closer against himself.

**********

"Is he gonna be alright?" consciousness started to filter through his sleep, barely picking up the sound of Lukes' voice beside him.

"Yeah he'll be fine, just needs to keep warm and rested for the next couple of days"

"Thanks, Scotty" he felt a large warm hand grab his own and he fought the urge to squeeze it, wanting to see what would happen next.

"If I may ask Luke, why are you so insistent about him staying here?"

"Not you too"

"I'm only asking. If I didn't know any better I'd say -"

"Yes" He could hear the strain in Lukes' voice and could almost feel the sympathy radiating off of Scotty.

"Does he know?"

"It's complicated" Lukes' voice was hoarse as he spoke, something he didn't expect to hear from the alpha, he could tell that at this moment Luke felt vulnerable.

"I'm sure it is" He heard Scotty huff a laugh as he got up from his seat next to him. "I won't tell the others, it should come from you, but I wouldn't wait too long. Whilst we all appreciate what he did, some of the others feel slighted, if not for you at least do it to protect him."

He heard Luke sigh beside him "I know you're right, but I can't, not yet"

"Goodnight Luke"

The sound of the door clicking shut resounded around the room, putting an end to the conversation, all he could hear was Luke breathing beside him and a moment later he felt a hand run through his hair, lightly scratching behind his hears and lulling him back to sleep.

**********

He woke up as someone was gently shaking him, opening his eyes to see Brocks' gentle eyes staring down at him, a bright smile on his face. 

"C'mon, dinners ready, Luke wants you to be there" He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he did so. "Doctors orders are to keep warm so here's a coat for you and you can take the duvet out with you if you want"

He grabbed the coat that was offered him, instantly picking up Lukes scent and wrapping it around himself before making his way out of the bed, wincing at the painful twinge he felt in his legs, Brock grabbing hold of him before he could fall back onto the bed.

"I may have overdone it" he huffed out, Brock only offering a small laugh as he wrapped him in the duvet and led him out the cabin and towards the fire. Despite being wrapped up he could still feel a chill deep in his bones, the fire did little to help, shivering where he sat and only moving to gratefully accept the hot food handed to him.

He noticed Luke move to stand next to him, shooting him a smile before addressing the pack.

"Right now, I want y'all to thank Ryan for hunting this food for us." A resounding chorus of thank yous' sounded around the fire, he was just about to start eating his food before Luke interrupted again. "Tyler, Brian I didn't hear you say thank you". There was a pause before a couple of mumbles were heard, apparently good enough for Luke he gave them permission to start eating.

He tried to eat however, his hand kept shaking and moving made his blankets open, causing even more cold air to penetrate the little warmth he had. He had a couple of mouthfuls before giving up, choosing to wrap himself up even tighter rather than eating, at least that was until Luke picked up his plate and pressed a forkful of food up to his mouth. He cast the alpha a strange look before accepting the food, in the corner of his eye he noticed some of the pack casting them strange glances.

He let Luke feed him his plateful of food, the food having warmed him up slightly and somewhat stop his shivering until everyone was done and disbanded. He was ordered to go to his room to rest, but he only did so to drop off the duvet before sneaking out to his spot under Lukes' cabin. It was the coldest night by far and he's sure he could make out the beginnings of snowfall but still, he stayed. He tried for what felt like an eternity trying to get to sleep but not even Lukes' coat wrapped tight around him could keep him warm. He was just about to leave to go to his room when he heard Lukes' voice filter through the night.

"Ryan! What the hell are you doing out here! Come out of there now!"

He quickly made his way out from under the patio, he felt himself being wrapped up in something and all but dragged into the alphas cabin.

"What the hell were you thinking Ryan! You're supposed to be keeping warm, and that's pretty fucking far from it"

" 'm sorry" he sniffled into the throw he was now wrapped in, trying to hide himself from the alphas wrath who had started to pace the room, rubbing a hand down his face before letting out a long sigh.

"It's okay, c'mon lets get you to bed" He was bracing himself to be hit with cold air and to be escorted back to his cabin, but instead Luke lead him through to his bedroom, laying him down on the bed before wishing him goodnight, leaving the door slightly ajar as the alpha returned to his living room.

He tossed and turned in an effort to fall asleep but to no avail, he wasn't sure how long it had been since Luke tucked him in, but he slowly made his way out of the bed and quietly made his way to the living room where he saw Luke working at his desk.

He lay down at Lukes' feet, curling around them and letting the heat from the alpha warm him up more than any fire could. "What the -" Luke jumped back from his seat before settling back down. "Ryan-" he ignored Lukes' protests in favor of settling closer against Lukes' legs, hearing the man sigh before continuing his work. 

He doesn't know when he fell asleep, but he was shaken awake by Luke "c'mon, time for bed" he slowly got up, dragging his feet towards Lukes' room but noticed the wolf didn't follow him, instead making himself comfortable on his couch. He stood there in the doorway unsure how to proceed, he was just about to make his way to the couch when Luke gave him an ultimatum.

"You sleep in my bed Ryan, I'll stay here" there it was, his alpha voice and try as he might he couldn't resist it, so he slowly made his way back to Lukes' bed and lay down, however, once again he couldn't get to sleep. 

He waited for what felt like an eternity in the hopes that Luke had fallen asleep, quietly creeping out of the room and laying down on the floor against the couch, Lukes' hand was slightly hanging off of the couch so that the back of the alphas fingers would graze his back with every breath he took.

"You can't sleep either huh?" he jumped slightly at the sound of Lukes' voice in the quiet, glad for the darkness so that Luke couldn't see the blush coloring his face red, although by the chuckle Luke made he's sure the alpha already knew. "C'mon then, you've convinced me"

When Luke moved to get up, he stood up off of the floor, following Luke into the bedroom and allowed the alpha to get into the bed first before curling up at the bottom of the bed by his feet.

"Watcha doin'?" he could feel Lukes' penetrating gaze in the dark and he felt so small at that moment. He wasn't sure how to answer, how was he supposed to say that in the past if he wanted a bed this was how he had to sleep, another insult due to his appearance. "I mean if you're more comfortable down there that's fine, but you're welcome to sleep up here with me, in fact, I'd prefer that"

"You mean it?" The question was said so quietly he's surprised that he could hear it.

"Every word"

At that he crawled up the bed, lying as close to the edge as he dared go, not wanting to impose on the alphas space, however, Luke had different ideas. He felt a warm arm wrap around him and pull him deeper into the center of the bed until he was pressed up against Luke, silently grateful that Luke kept his arm wrapped tight around him after he'd been moved.

"Is this okay?" He could hear the vulnerability crack through Lukes' voice. He hummed in response, settling himself against Lukes warm body which managed to finally drive away the chill that had settled in him.

He hummed when Luke buried his face against the back of his neck, as much as he wanted to fall asleep a question burned in the back of his brain.

"Luke?" he whispered into the darkness, feeling more than hearing the alpha hum as an answer. "Do you have a mate?" he felt the wolf become tense, holding in his breath, he thought that he may have crossed a boundary, that he'd be told to leave before Luke answered.

"Yes" It was a curt response, and from the sound of it he didn't want to go any further with his answer, but he didn't want to leave the awkward tension in the room.

"Where are they?"

"It's complicated"

"Is it true what they say when you meet your mate? That your whole being changes?" He couldn't hide the hope in his voice, when he was young he'd held onto the belief that there was someone for everyone, that one day he'd find someone who could look past his outside and love him for who he was.

"I didn't know this was 21 questions"

"I'm sorry, I jus-"

"Hey, hey, Ryan, it's okay I was just joking" He felt his face heat up as Lukes' hand ran up and down his abdomen at the words he sure was done to reassure him. "Yes, it's true. When I became alpha of this pack I put everything into them, making sure they had food, warmth, safety...a home. But, then my mate came along and ever since I've been distracted, too focused on them and what they're doing, that it's started to affect my abilities as pack alpha. The hardest part is I don't even think they know we're mates"

He turned in Lukes' arms shocked, looking down at the alpha in surprise "What?!? How could that happen? Mates know each other on sight! I've never heard of mates being unaware of each other"

"Well I guess that just makes me extra special then" There was a bitterness to Lukes' voice, showing that he felt so much different than what he said, he frowned down at the alpha about to open his mouth to ask more about the situation when Luke pulled him back down against the bed. "C'mon Ryan, bedtime"

He clicked his tongue at the patronizing tone the alpha shot at him, giving his own remark of "Goodnight Alpha" before burrowing into the bed against Luke, letting the soft almost purr like growl he could feel resonate in Luke send him to sleep.

**********

The next day neither said a word to one another about that night, he had offered to make Luke some form of breakfast, however, the alpha had graciously declined and asked him to return to his own cabin. He felt a pain a chest, the strong feeling of rejection almost like a slap in the face as he said his goodbyes and left the cabin without another word, only acknowledging the strange look Jon shot his way as he walked through the camp in the early hours that morning.

Although Craig had heralded him as the camps savior, Luke had given strict orders that he was not to leave the camp under any circumstances unless accompanied, much to his dismay. Some of the pack members weren't as happy as others about his earlier hunting expedition and had taken it upon themselves to insult him.

Most of the wolves had left for a supply run, looking for anything that could potentially be of use to them. When they came back a dog's toy was chucked his way, clearly meant to patronize he took the insult on the chin, thanking them for their kind gift before sneaking off under Lukes' cabin to play with it. Whilst he'd been embarrassed about it in the past, this was something he allowed himself as a guilty pleasure, why couldn't he have toys? If anything, his almost dog-like appearance meant he could get away with such actions.

For the next few days whenever the pack went out they'd come back with some kind of gift for him, from plushies to tennis balls to tug a ropes, he kept them all under Lukes cabin, and if Jon happened to notice a tennis ball roll out from under Lukes' patio he didn't say anything about it, instead kicking it back under and continuing about his duties.

It was a week later when the snow had finally started to settle that he started to get antsy, eager to explore the now crisp white wilderness and the beauty of the woods in the snow. For the most part, he hated winter, hated the cold, the longer and darker nights and especially the lack of food but he'd always loved the snow. When he was a pup he remembers he'd play in the snow for hours with his friends, staying long after they'd gone and only leaving when the chill became too much to bear and most of his body was numb.

He waited for the perfect moment to make his escape, that morning Jon was supposed to be taking over watch from Marcel, however, it had become routine for the younger wolf to leave his post after a few minutes in favor of seeking out Evan, only returning back to his post a couple of hours later when he knew the pack would start to wake.

It was in this time that he slipped out of the cabin, moving as quietly as he could in the still morning as the freshly laden snow crunched under his feet. When he deemed himself to be a suitable distance away he ran and ran, and he kept running until all breath had left his lungs, admiring his surroundings as he caught his breath and watching it condense into the chill early morning air.

He started running again, more leisurely this time so that he could take in his surroundings. He wanted to get to know these woods, to make them his home in the hopes that Luke would make him part of the pack, that he could finally have somewhere to belong. He wasn't sure how far he'd gone but he decided to get a better look at the frozen landscape, easily scaling a nearby tree to take a seat on one of the branches, watching silence settle over the forest once more. 

It was eerily beautiful and a scene he could watch for hours if it wasn't for the pricking on the back of his neck, the feeling of eyes watching him in the silence. He jumped off of the tree, landing gracefully on his feet before turning into a low defensive stance where he was met with a cougar, also poised defensively. This wasn't the first time he'd come across a cougar, most of the time he left them be, not wanting to start a fight he couldn't win, hell one time he'd somehow befriended one, the cougar having hunted food for him when he was at death's door.

This time he stared down the cougar as they started to slowly circle each other, he didn't want to fight the animal so instead lay carefully in the snow, belly exposed. It was a risky move, but experience had told him predators were always curious about acts of submission and this one was no different, the big cat cautiously approached him, sniffing around him as he went. 

He remained still, allowing the animal time to feel comfortable around him before he felt a heavy paw hit into his side, however, there was no pain accompanying it, showing the animal had had no intention of harming it. Cautiously he got up before offering his palm to the cougar who sniffed it before giving it a playful nip. 

He spent the next few hours playing with the young cougar, chasing down one another and fighting until the other would yield, each of them coming out with small scrapes but neither intending to seriously harm the other. 

It was when darkness was starting to settle that he realized how late it was and that he had absolutely no idea where he was. He could smell that he was no longer in his pack's territory, panic choking at his throat as it got ever darker. The cougar seemed to sense his distress and nuzzled his legs in an attempt to comfort him which did little to help, the animal lightly bit down on his hand and started pulling him, as if leading him somewhere.

Understanding what the cougar was doing he gently pulled his hand away and a second later the animal was sprinting away, he was hot on its heels, following it as it navigated its way through the trees. It was almost pitch black when he finally knew he was back in his pack's territory, relief washing over him. 

He thanked the cougar, giving it one last look as it slinked away back into the trees, before heading in the direction he thought the camp was, however, it wasn't long before the sharp metallic tang of blood caught his nose and panic flared in him again, it was wolfs blood.

Not a moment later a piercing, almost pained howl broke through the night, it was Luke, his Alpha, his pack were in trouble. He sprinted as fast as he could to where he heard the howl come from, even when his legs started to ache, and his chest burn he kept running until finally, he reached the camp. 

The sight that met him was far from reassuring, several of the cabins were on fire and the ones that weren't were completely ransacked, there were several blood pools around the camp, no doubt where fights had taken place. He couldn't stop the thoughts racing through his head, getting darker and darker when he caught the scent of Lukes' blood in the air.

Someone had come and taken his pack, his family and he didn't want to think about the implications if they were dead, but he'd be damned if he didn't go down fighting for them. It wasn't hard to find the deep tyre tracks that ran out the camp, even in the pitch black of night, even now he could smell the faint scent of Luke and he held onto that, onto the hope that the alpha was still alive.

Without a second thought, he ran into the night, thoughts of revenge driving him ever further into the darkness.

**********

It was a couple of hours before dawn when he finally reached the town who held captive his pack, although dark he could hear life within the small town which was a stark contrast to his own.

He lingered in the treeline by the entrance which was guarded by three wolves, each with some form of firearm. He sat there analyzing them, but the wolves simply stood at their post's stoic as ever, however, he saw two of them waver where they stood every now and then, evidently not as used to this lifestyle as their companion, showcasing their inexperience. 

He was just about to move in order to try and find another entrance into the walled town when he heard a crackly voice filter its way through a walkie talkie worn by who must be the leader.

"All units converge on the main square, some of the ARGH-"

"Sam! Sam! Come in Sam! Shit, I told them not to separate the mates, fucking idiots I swear. Hall, you're with me, Manon keep watch"

With that two of the wolves ran into the town, leaving a rather nervous looking wolf to man the entrance, he silently thanked his pack for inadvertently causing a distraction, it was only too easy now.

He snapped a twig, watching as the wolf aimed his gun in his direction and shouted into the darkness, despite not hearing a response the young wolf edged his way towards him until he was right on the edge of the treeline. He attacked without a second thought, teeth aiming for the jugular, he doesn't want to kill these wolves, but they threatened his pack and if some happen to die in the process then he's not against it.

He leaves the twitching body in a hedge, he almost feels guilty but if the wolf lives for a few hours longer the injury would start to heal, he snapped the gun against a nearby tree, the downed wolf could only stare up at him in horror. He gave one final look at him, showing the wolf that he was being spared before he slipped through the darkness and into the town.

He moved silently from street to street, coming across several other guards who he easily managed to overpower, hiding their bodies in alcoves to avoid suspicion. It wasn't long before he reached the center square and there he saw his pack in chains too tight and cages too small whilst their capturers poked and prodded at them.

He easily spotted Luke, the alpha was in some sort of device which held him in a somewhat compromising position with his head forced to the floor and ass in the air, the ultimate sign of disrespect. He felt a growl build low in his throat and he had to stop himself in danger of exposing himself.

"Team 2 come in" he heard the wolf that had been at the gate speak into his walkie talkie, annoyance flitted across his face when no response was heard, and he couldn't help but smile at himself. "Team 2 come in" again there was no answer and some of the other wolves had noticed the beginnings of worry from the wolf who he supposes is their alpha.

"Team 5 come in" There was still no answer and he couldn't help the bright grin that spread across his face, knowing that he was the reason why. "I swear if you guys are pulling some sort of joke I'll have your asses in the cell again." He saw the alpha start to pace in his worry, raking his hand through his hair as he kept talking into the device hoping to hear something. "PICK UP YOUR DAMN WALKIES!! NOW!!" When there was still no response and the wolves started to murmur amongst each other, did the alpha take control.

"Okay, team 3 go to base, see if Mary and Neil are there, and take these just in case" the alpha chucked a couple of small pistols at the two younger wolves before they quickly scurried out of the square. "Team 4 go to the gate, I sent Jane and Anita to relieve Manon, make sure he's okay up there" Three wolves nodded, picking up their own guns before walking through the street towards the edge of the town.

He decided not to watch any further, instead putting his focus into the wolves heading towards the wall. He was able to quickly flit between houses until he was ahead of them, using the element of surprise to his advantage. His back was pressed against the side of a house and he could hear his prey moving ever closer, he waited until they were almost past him before making his move, kicking his leg out and knocking the closest wolf to the floor before lunging for the next one's throat. By the time the third wolf had realized what was happening and raised his gun, he'd moved away. 

Years on the run had made him faster, more agile than the typical wolf, allowing him to quickly dodge around the two remaining wolves. It wasn't long until one of them made a mistake causing them to expose their back to him. He was quick to take advantage, digging his claws down across the others back, the wolf letting out a howl of pain before collapsing to the floor, unconscious.

The final wolf looked at him in terror and sure enough was on his knees begging for mercy, he dropped his gun to plead at him to let him go, however he couldn't afford to waste more time, darting his hand out and grasping it around the wolfs throat, gripping tighter and tighter until the wolf went limp in his hand.

He ran to the other side of the street and started navigating through the houses, eventually coming across the two wolves who had been sent to inspect the base, as they were returning to the alpha. He managed to move up behind them, using his hands to keep their mouths shut as he dragged them into a small alley between two houses where he made short work of dealing with them. Once done he quickly made his way back to the center square where he was meet with the sight of a very nervous looking alpha.

"They should've been back by now, all of them should've been back. Something's wrong" It seemed as if the alpha was talking to himself but then he noticed a few wolves stand from their crouched positions behind the cages which his pack were still in.

"Maybe the walkies went down? Wouldn't be the first time"

"Every walkie? Each with a battery back up? Even if they did we should've seen someone by now, it's like a fucking ghost town."

"Maybe they know something about it?" At that he saw the alpha perk up before making his way to Lukes' cage, reaching through the bars to grab him by the hair and lift his head up out of the dirt and towards him.

"Do you know something about my pack disappearin' huh?" Luke simply spat in his eye not giving the other alpha even a glance before his face was shoved hard into the stone. "You wanna try that again bitch? Now tell me, do you know what's going on?" Still Luke refused to answer, only glaring down the other alpha who simply sighed before turning back to his remaining pack. "It appears you've left me without another choice. Tim get my poker, maybe we'll get some answers if we start getting them to squeal. Sam, why don't you get my kit from the truck, I'm sure you'd like your hand at a bit of revenge"

"Gladly" he noticed the wolf, Sam, limp away in whatever direction he needed to be, glad that someone had managed to get a bite out of him in the earlier scuffle.

With that the two wolves left, only leaving the alpha and another wolf in the square, as tempting as it was he had to stop the other two first, once again leaving his post to follow the larger of the two wolves. 

He didn't go far before the wolf had gotten what he was after, a red-hot poker, knowing that he had to make his move now he ran for the wolf and was preparing to lunge when the wolf turned, brandishing the poker as a weapon. He barely managed to move out of the way, feeling the heat of the poker against his face as he quickly side stepped the next attack. 

In the corner of his eye, he saw a small sharp hook hanging out the wall, which looked to have been part of some larger mechanism which had since been removed, not that he overly cared. 

He kept lunging forward, forcing his attacker to keep stepping backwards in order to keep distance between them, each time the poker getting closer and closer as fatigue set in. It was with a final swing of the poker that he kicked the other wolfs chest, forcing him backward and onto the exposed hook, causing him to drop the poker which he quickly retrieved, digging it into the larger wolfs chest and twisting it before pulling it out.

He examined his new weapon briefly, getting a feel for it as he caught his breath from the fight, with a final grimace he made his way back to the square, speeding up when he heard a piercing scream penetrate the quiet of the town. 

When he got there he watched in horror as he saw one of the wolves, Sam, digging a scalpel into Tyler's' chest. With each cut there was another scream, gradually getting weaker and weaker, but they weren't Tyler's', they were Craig's'. Although not physically hurt, his mating bond with Tyler meant that he could feel every agonizing drag of the tool through his partner's chest and Tyler was helpless to stop it, Craig's' screams seemed to be a better form of torture than whatever the wolf was doing to him.

He turned his eyes to the alpha who was still by Luke, trying to get any word he could out of him by any means necessary, but still, he refused to talk. The third wolf seemed to be taunting Jon, a dangerous game to play even when he was in a good mood, telling him in every agonizing, explicit detail about how he was going to make Evan his bitch in every way possible, while all he could do was watch. Even from this distance he could see the fury in Jons' eyes, see the hundred and one ways he'd already plotted this wolfs death.

He decided it was now or never, it was time to make his final move. He decided to go for the one near Jon, he was the furthest away and getting him down will favor his odds. As he slowly approached, poker in hand, he saw Jon look back at him briefly, silent recognition on his face as he kept the wolf in front of him distracted.

In one fast movement, he impaled the wolfs shoulder, Jons hand darting out the cage to muffle any screams he may have made. He made sure his blow was not fatal, stabbing the poker into his leg as well for good measure, waiting until he had passed out from pain or blood loss or even both, and when freed he's sure Jon will want to be the one to kill him.

The other two wolves seemed unaware of the fate of their companion, too intent on torturing the wolves in front of them. Jon shot him a worried glance, all he could do was give what he hoped was a reassuring nod before he made his final move. 

He ran towards the wolf torturing Tyler, poker raised in hand, not caring how much noise he made now. Seeing what he was doing, Scotty and Nogla reached through their cage to grab hold of the wolfs arms when he turned to see what was coming towards him. The wolf struggled helplessly, fear clear in its eyes and screaming in its panic as he got closer until he was near enough to stab the poker into its chest. He didn't look to see what damage he'd done, eyes focused on the alpha who now turned to notice him.

He crashed into the alpha who had only just managed to get his arms free of Lukes' cage, causing them to fall to the floor. They grappled with one another, claws slicing into whatever skin they could reach and teeth constantly aiming for the others' throat. Behind him he could hear shouts and cheers from his friends, spurring him on as he pushed through the pain and fatigue that was settling over him.

All it took was one wrong move and he was pinned against the floor, the other alpha looming over him, a twisted grin on his face as he raised his hand to give the final blow. It was then that a pained shout broke their fight and they both turned to see Luke looking on, helpless, with tears in his eyes, the other alphas grin getting even sicker.

"I'll give you whatever you want just don't hurt him, please" It was crushing to see Luke in this type of pain, he looked into his eyes, trying to convey everything he felt to his alpha before the killing blow. 

"So now you wanna talk huh? Now I got your little runts life in between my hands" Despite the alpha's words, he could feel the hold on his limbs weaken slightly, and whilst the wolf was distracted he wasted no time in his attack.

He lunged up, easily breaking the hold the alpha had on him, unable to defend himself he made quick work of tearing his teeth through the alphas throat. He kept tearing away at the now long dead wolf when Luke talked him down "Ryan you did it, he's dead. You did so good, but could you get us out of these cages now"

He stared at his alpha, the world seeming to come into focus again and he got up, blood still dripping from his chin as he approached Lukes' cage.

"The keys-" Before Luke could finish his sentence he'd grabbed hold of the cage door and pulled it off, ignoring a couple of whistles he heard from the pack, he entered Lukes' cage, snapping off the device so that Luke could move again and made his way back out of the cage.

He then went round breaking off the doors to each cage whilst Luke followed, keys in hand to remove them from their shackles. Once everyone was freed and had stretched out the pain in their joints from being in such a small space for a large amount of time, they swarmed him.

Thanking and congratulating him for saving them, asking numerous questions about how he escaped, where he learned how to kick ass and if he could teach them. He was quickly being overwhelmed, not used to so much attention and adoration from people, he didn't know where to begin, grateful when Luke swooped in to save him.

"I'm sure we all have questions for Ryan but for now, just say thanks, it's been a long day for all of us. Everyone go grab whatever you can find that's of use and load that truck. Jon, Tyler I'll leave you two to deal with the wolves still alive" 

He's sure he must look like something out of a horror story, blood covering his mouth and hands and dripping down his chin, but he's sure he's never seen anything scarier than the dangerous glint that shone in both those wolves' eyes at Lukes' words, happily going off to complete their duties. "Ryan I want to talk to privately for a minute"

Confused he followed the alpha into one of the now abandoned houses, barely shutting the door behind him before he was shoved back against the door, his legs being lifted up around Lukes' hips, and said alphas lips pressed hard against his own.

He lost all brain function, unable to form a single coherent thought, simply letting himself be kissed by the alpha before the wolf pulled back, panic in his eyes. He was dropped gently back to the floor before Luke took several steps back, hands up defensively, and he could feel every ounce of fear, pain, and rejection that Luke felt in that moment.

"Shit, I'm so sorry Ryan, I didn-, I thought- shitshitshit" The alpha was pacing nervously around the room, almost on the edge of tears as he kept repeating the same words. That's when everything seemed to click, he was in love with Luke, more than that Luke was his mate and right now his mate needed him.

He moved from his place by the door and headed straight towards Luke, before the alpha could say a word he grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him closer, holding their lips together once again. There was barely a second of hesitation before Luke melted into the kiss, once again lifting him up before propping him up on a nearby table.

They parted for air, whilst he was trying to form any thought that wasn't purely Luke, said wolf was nipping gently at his neck, he was more than happy to oblige the alpha and craned his head to allow Luke more space to work with, weaving his own fingers through the alphas soft, dark hair.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was hoarse as he spoke, and he felt Luke give one last sharp nip at his neck before looking back at him.

"I wanted you to find out on your own. I didn't want to put any kind of pressure on you, I wanted you to like me for me, not just because our biology says you have to" Happy with the response he kissed Luke again, who pushed him further down onto the table so that the wolf was almost on top of him.

He was about to hitch his leg around Lukes' waist in an attempt to get some much-desired friction when the alpha pulled his leg off of him and put it back down against the table, causing Luke to chuckle lightly at the confused look he's sure is on his face.

"I want to, trust me" with those words the alpha moved his hips forward slightly, and it couldn't be more obvious that Luke wanted it, however, Luke quickly moved his hips away again, stopping any attempt he may have made about wearing away at the alpha's defenses. "But, I want to do this properly. I want to court you like any good alpha should."

Not one to be easily defeated he lifted his hips up, barely catching Lukes' to get some sort of friction before the alpha grabbed his hips and held them against the table.

"You're gonna be the death of me I swear" He shivered as Luke growled the words in his ear, wrapping his arms around his broad shoulders before looking up at him.

"Please Alpha" he put on his best puppy dog eyes and hoped he was sticking his bottom lip out in a pout, silently cheering himself as he watched Lukes' willpower shatter, the alpha once again leaning into his ear.

"I really don't want our first time to be on some shitty table in some shitty town surrounded by dead dickheads." Despite his words though, Luke still pressed his body against his, causing a whine to escape from his mouth, which only seemed to spur Luke on as the alpha started to kiss up his neck until he reached his mouth, taking all the time in world to explore his mouth whilst he slowly started to move their hips together.

When they break apart he's helpless to Lukes' attack, can only hold on as he pleads to his alpha for something, anything, which Luke is all too happy to give him.

"Luke...Alpha" those words caused some sort of guttural growl to come from deep within Lukes' chest, causing the alpha to renew the attack on his throat, what started out as playful nips get harder and he's sure he's going to come out with several large markings littering his throat by the end, before Luke once again presses their lips together.

They're too focused on one another that they don't hear the knock on the door, or said door open, only hear the disgusted shrieks of Jon who quickly left the room claiming to be scarred for life, causing them both to reluctantly part and to get off of the table. A moment later Tyler's' at the door telling them that everything's packed and ready to go, giving the pair a final smirk before joining the others outside.

Luke gives him one final peck before leading him outside, calling the pack together before they head off. "At nightfall tomorrow Ryan will be sworn into the pack and will formally become my mate if any of you fuckers disagree you can fight me on it" He paused, almost daring someone to challenge him but when there was no response forthcoming he continued. "Good, now let's get the fuck outta here".

He started to follow Luke to the cockpit of the van before the alpha stopped him. "I don't want to offend you Ryan but if you're up there with me I'll probably crash the truck" clearly put out Luke pressed a kiss to his forehead "We have plenty of time to catch up, don't worry".

With that Luke headed towards the driver seat whilst he made his way into the back of the truck before he was stopped by Tyler.

"Look I know I've been harsh on you" He could only give the alpha a pointed look, causing the other wolf to look somewhat guilty as he continued "Okay I've been a dick, but it's only because this pack means everything to me and I'd do anything to protect them. You did what I couldn't, you saved them, and I'll owe you for that, you and Luke will make great pack alphas"

"Thank you, Tyler" his throat was clogged with emotion, Tyler being the last person to expect any sort of praise from. The alpha simply patted his shoulder before leaving him to join Luke in the front, he climbed into the back, Brock quickly handing him a wipe which he only stared at confused.

"For the blood" His face grew red as he realized he still had blood staining his chin and hands, quickly wiping away as much of it as he could and graciously accepting a second one when Brock offered it. "So, you and Luke huh?"

"Uh yeah, me and Luke"

It was then that Anthony started to laugh quietly to himself, causing everyone to turn to him until he could stop long enough to explain himself. "Looks like you're going to have to cancel your weekend plans Craig, Tyler's' going to have to do Lukes' duties now that he's going to be busy this weekend." Everybody groaned, Craig especially, whilst Anthony kept giggling to himself. 

Eventually quiet settled around them, he watched as the sun peeked over the horizon, casting the world into a gold haze, the past 24 hours quickly catching up to him and as he felt his eyes droop he had the resounding thought that he was finally going home.

**********

Since that day rumors spread amongst other packs about him, how they even started no one knows but if he was to place money on it he'd say it was Jon. He was called some giant wolf beast that took down an entire pack with nothing but his bare hands, how he had claws as sharp as razors, and who could move so fast that if you blinked, you'd miss him.

Needless to say, packs from far and wide tried to treaty with them, to form some sort of alliance, because who wouldn't want some kind of beast straight from your nightmares on their team. Unsurprisingly, they were more than disappointed when they arrived to be met with him, barely scraping 5'8", soft hazel eyes and floppy ears, with canines and claws half the size of the average wolf. It was with little surprise that most packs were quick to dismiss him, laughing him off to go back to his master before the dog catcher found him.

Imagine their surprise when in a split second their back was on the floor, limbs pinned and teeth edging on their throat, sending the wolves scampering away with their tail between their legs all while Luke laughed on at them.

They were sat by the fire, having just played host to a neighboring pack who barely lasted five minutes before running back to their territory, although the snow had stopped falling a thick layer of it still covered the forest floor. For this reason, he was cuddled up against Luke in an attempt to have as much warmth as possible. "Why do you keep inviting other packs here if you clearly have no intention of them joining us?" Luke simply chuckled and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Because I want to show them how fuckin' badass you are and not to try any funny business" He could only roll his eyes at the statement, Luke chuckling again before pressing his lips against his temple. "I love you" He waited, knowing that the silence was torturing the poor alpha and sure enough he felt Lukes cold nose brush against his neck, causing him to flinch away. "You not gonna say it back or what"

He laughed at the dismayed look on his alphas face, "I dunno, Anthony's' been looking pretty good lately don't you think?" He couldn't help but laugh at Lukes face which seemed to be frozen in a state of shock. Grabbing the lapels of Lukes' coat he pulled the wolf closer to him, brushing their lips together lightly as he spoke. "I love you Luke, more than you know".

He felt Luke weave a hand through his hair, holding him in place as he spoke "I think I have a good idea" and with that, he pressed their lips together. It was soft and sweet, but it was them and he wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

When they parted they pressed their foreheads together, just enjoying the feeling of having one another before he shoved Luke off of the log and into the snow, darting off into the opposite direction as fast as he could go.

"RYAN! WHAT THE FUCK!!" He heard Luke shout after him, but he kept running, hearing shouts of encouragement and laughs from his friends, "I am totally getting your ass for this" was the last thing he heard before Luke got up and started running after him. It had taken him 36 long years, but he'd finally found his home.


End file.
